Ironing table top



Feb. 24, 194,2., A H, B, FAY ET AL 2,274,598

IRONING TABLE T`o1= Filed July 25, 1941 ff/c1. /l ll f 2 7 2 7 l l l K BY V mvo THON/75H. /C/I F/ c7. 6. I 'MM @MM/lm Patented Feb. 24, 1942 IRONING TABLE TOP Horace-B. Fay and Thomas H. Fay, Willoughby, Ohio, assignors to Gridiron Steel Company,

Cleveland, Ohio Application July 25, 1941, Serial No. 404,078 I The present invention relates to wooden iron- 4 Claims.

ing table tops or ironing boards and has for its object the provision of a relatively inexpensive wooden board or top whichwill eliminate warping as far as possible and vwill at the same time provide a top which is ventilated, that is, through wooden board either formed from a single piece of wood or one made up ofthe usual two to four pieces ,extending longitudinally and f securely glued or bonded together to form a unitary piece.

The board is then slottedlongitudinally, preferably by saw slotting the same into a series of spaced strips of wood, and means are provided for maintaining such strips in spaced relation `and for providing the necessary cross-pieces for the attachment of the usual leg structure. The slotsrun into the usual taperednose of the board but do not extend therethrough, thus forming atthenose end an integral piece uniting all of the strips. fSimilar uncut transverse portions may be left at the rear and across the center portion of the board to act as the spacers and leg attaching members in certain forms.

Tok the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends,fsaid invention, then, consists of the means hereinafterv fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims; the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in In the form shown in Fig. 1 we have shown an ironing table tap I0 of usual shape having a main rectangular rear portion and a tapered forward or nose portion with a rounded nose. This board is made of a single piece of wood or the usual construction of two to four longitudinal pieces glued or bonded together to form a unit board.

In the present board, to provide for ventilation and to reduce and minimize warpage we have slotted the top I0 by cutting the board into a series of narrow longitudinal strips I I with narrow saw slots I2 therebetween. These slots extend from the rear of the board forwardly toward the nose but terminate short of the nose end and short of the angular sides of the nose,

detail certain structure embodying the invention,

such disclosed structure constituting, however, but one of various forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

Insaid annexed, drawing: 4

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an ironing table top showing our invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View on line 2--2 of Fig. 1 showing the construction of the cross straps;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modified construction, the tie rod not being shown;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a modified form of slotted top; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on'the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of an ironing table showing a leg stand attached to the board.

thus leaving an 'integral uncut portion I3 around the sidesand nose of the board which aids in preventing damage or separation of the strips.

To hold the strips in rtheir spaced relation we have in the form shown in Fig. 2 provided a rear transverse strap or thin wooden member I5 which will be secured to each of the strips II to hold them securely in place. holding the strips and to strengthen the structure, thin bolts or rods I5 may be passed through the strips, preferably over the transverse straps and locked at the ends by riveting or the like.

In Fig. 3 a modified type of cross member is employed, the members 25 at the rear and 26 at the central part of the board being in the form of combs with upwardly extending teeth 21 which nt between the strips II of the board to act as spacers and which will be secured in place by a suitablel waterproof adhesive, such as a resin bond or waterproof glue. In both of these forms a tie rod or bolt I9 at the nose is preferably employed to prevent possible splitting or cracking of the board and separation of the same into pieces.

In Fig. 4 we have shown a slightly modified form of top, in which the slots 32a and 32b are in two series with uncut transverse portions 33 and 34 left at the rear and center of the board, the slots 32EL in the rear series extending from the rear uncut portion 33 to the center portion 34, while the slots 32b of the forward series extend from the forward edge of the uncut portion 34 toward the nose of the board as in the rst form but leaving the nose and edge uncut as before. The slots 32a and 32h may be staggered relative to each other, as shown in Fig. 4.

In this form the uncut portions 33 and 34 may themselves act as the attaching members for the leg structure and will be so positioned as to serve this purpose. The exact position and num- To aid in V ber of such uncut portions or cross-straps is of course to be determined by the size of the board and the particular leg structure to which it is to be attached, as will be clear from the side elevational view of Fig. 6.

The advantages of this present construction are many. First, the use of slots serves to ventilate the table top, thus allowing water, vapor and steam to pass through the board and be carried off in the air. It also allows air currents to pass up through the board and its pad to aid in carrying off the moisture from the material being ironed. In addition, warpage is reduced as the strips are subject to the same moisture conditions on all four sides instead of merely the top surface becoming soaked as in a solid board or top. This tends to allow the strips to dry out evenly and reduce warping. In addition, as the strips can move sidewise, that is, transversely of the board between the cross-strips or uncut portions, any warpage which does occur tends to take place in the plane of the board which does not cause trouble or out of plane ironing. The slots are sor narrow that even if one strip warps sidewise into contact with the next strip at any point the slot width will not be enough to allow the pad to cut therein, and thus is obtained a strong inexpensive wooden ironing table top with the warpage largely eliminated and the remainder controlled so as to eliminate the usualtrou- I f ble due to the warping of present types of unit tops. This is particularly necessary with the present day types of so-called steam electric irons in which there is a water reservoir in the iron and holes through the sole plate to force L steam directly onto and through the clothes and the pad and against the board top, which, of course, absorbs some of the moisture quickly, thus having a wet top surface and a relatively dry bottom surface which causes rapid warping of the wood.

Other modes of applying the principle of our invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

We therefore particularly point out and distinctlyclaim as our invention: f

1. A ventilated wooden ironing table top adapted to have legs attached thereto, said top consisting of a wooden board having one end restricted to form a nose portion and being divided into a series of longitudinally extendingjspaced CII strips, and means for maintaining said strips in their spaced relation, such means including an uncut portion at the forward end of said nose and a plurality of cross members rigidly secured at spaced longitudinal points to each of said strips, said cross members also acting as attaching members for said legs.

2. A ventilated wooden ironing table top consisting of a wooden board having one end restricted to form a nose portion and being divided into a series of longitudinally extending spaced strips, and means for maintaining said strips in their spaced relation, such means including an uncut portion at the forward end of said nose and a plurality of other transversely extending uncut portions spaced longitudinally of said board to provide integral spacing members and to act as attaching supports for the leg structure.

3. An ironing table top adapted to have legs attached thereto, said top consisting of a wooden board having one end restricted to form a nose portion and having a portion divided into longitudinally extending spaced strips, said top including transverse portions connected to said strips to hold the same in spaced relation, one of said members being at the rear of the board land the other intermediate the ends thereof, said spaced strips extending forwardly and rearwardly from the intermediate transverse member and terminating short of the nose to form an uncut portion carrying the forward end of the spaced strips, said cross members also acting as attaching members for said legs.

4. An ironing table top adapted to have legs attached thereto, said top consisting of a wooden board having one end restricted to form a nose portion and having a portion dividedl into longitudinally extending spaced strips, said top including transverse portions connected to said strips to hold the same in spaced relation, one of said members being at the rear of the board and theother intermediate theends thereof, said spaced strips extending forwardly and rearwardly from the intermediate transverse member and terminating short ofthe nose t0 form an uncut portion carrying the forward end of the, spaced strips, said cross members also. acting as attaching members for said legs, at least one of said HORACE B- FAY- THOMAS H. FAY. 

